1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling an editing image display.
2. Related Art
In generation of contents on audio and/or video for broadcasting, a distribution via a communication network or circulation by recording medium, and the like, the contents altering motion speed of a subject partially for only a set period have been used in addition to the content generated at a reference frame rate such as a frame rate of 30 frame/sec, in order to obtain enhanced effects the creator wishes to create.
In such the generation of the contents altering the motion speed of the subject, a higher frame rate relevant to a reference frame rate is illustratively set to generate the contents, and then the contents are reproduced at the reference frame rate so that slow motion content can be produced. Alternatively, a lower frame rate relevant to a reference frame rate is set to generate the contents, and then the contents are reproduced at the reference frame rate so that quick motion content can be produced. Further, adapting the frame rate to be set and the frame rate at the reproduction allows the motion speed of the subject to be freely altered.
Thus, the creator performs an editing process to create the contents using not only the contents generated at the reference frame rate but also the contents of altered motion speed of the subject, in order to obtain the enhanced effects the creator wishes to create.
It has been proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. H11-177903 that the video camera allows time axis to be compressed or extended in order to generate the content altering the frame rate.
When the creator performs the editing process using not only the contents generated at the reference frame rate but also the contents of altered motion speed of the subject as material, it is not easily determined which of frame rates each content has been generated if merely the images of contents are displayed. Further, when it performs the speed change on the contents of altered motion speed of the subject, it is impossible to determine whether or not the speed change can be performed without any deterioration in image quality of the displayed image. If a frame rate is set (hereinafter, referred to as, “set frame rate”) to 10 times the reference frame rate, the reproduced contents are displayed one-tenth in a motion of subject if the content generated at the set frame rate is reproduced at the reference frame rate. Here, it is conceivable that since the set frame rate is 10 times the reference frame rate when the creator wants to display the contents one-fifth in a motion of subject, the speed change can be easily performed without any deterioration in image quality of the displayed image if performing a frame-skipping for each frame. It, however, is impossible to determine whether or not the speed change can be easily performed without any deterioration in image quality of the displayed image, based on merely the displayed image.
It is an object of the present invention to present a method and an apparatus for controlling an editing image display wherein the editing process is easily allowed using material generated at the reference frame rate but also material altering the frame rate.